High School Sports

Aptos turned some heads during its improbable run in the Central Coast Section playoffs after it pulled off back-to-back stunning wins to reach last week’s Division III championship game. However, the storybook tale came to a close after the No. 7 seed Mariners fell short...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High remains undefeated two weeks into the season after a 12-6 victory over St. Francis High on Sept. 4 at Cabrillo College. The Wildcatz (2-0) won a hard-fought battle that was decided with a defensive play in the final minute of the game. Jacob...

APTOS—The Covid-19 pandemic took another jab at local prep sports after Aptos High Athletics Director Travis Fox announced that all indoor activities, home and away, are postponed for the remainder of the week.  Fox said Wednesday afternoon that Mariners’ student-athletes will have to be sidelined...

Aptos High senior Angelique Nuñez celebrated Senior Night with a bang. She returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns in a 32-0 win against Salinas High at Trevin Dilfer Memorial Field on Tuesday night. The Mariners’ defense was also led by Ellie Marta who recorded...

The Watsonville High boys’ basketball team wrapped up one of the best seasons the program has put together, which included a league title for the first time in 10 years. Senior guard Richie Ortiz led the way for the Wildcatz (17-7), who finished as co-champion...

The Pajaronian’s Prep Athletes of the Week were selected based on their performances during the week of Aug. 25-31. Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to submit nominations to sports editor Juan Reyes at [email protected].  Boys Abraham Martinez (Sr.), Watsonville The Wildcatz senior ran wild for 150...

Monte Vista Christian sophomore Anna Conca put on a record-breaking performance at last week’s 4th Annual Fighting Knights’ Joust cross country invitational in Belmont. The Mustang second-year runner won the sophomore division race in 12 minutes, 48.6 seconds, setting a new record on the 2.13-mile...

APTOS—Aptos High football coach Randy Blaneknship has won countless league titles throughout his illustrious career, including six straight Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League crowns since joining the program. But for the first time since joining the Pacific Coast Athletic League in 2017, the Mariners won...

Watsonville senior Adan Magaña had never lost to longtime rival Pajaro Valley prior to last week’s anticipated meeting between both teams. The standout linebacker made sure it would stay that way.  Magaña was a menace on the field for a defensive unit that played lights-out, including...

Watsonville High juniors Xitlali Montesino and Kaylani Trout-Lacy gained some notoriety this season in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Mission Division.   The coaches within the league recognized their outstanding efforts on the basketball court by honoring the Wildcatz standouts as members of this year’s all-league...